The most important physical feature was not, however, the respectable
dress, the manly bearing, the order, discipline, and solemnity of the
men, but the large bodies of ladies who, in rich and costly attire,
marched the whole length of the long route, often ankle deep in mud,
utterly regardles of the incessant down-pour of rain which deluged
their silks and satins, and melted the mourning crape till it seemed
incorporated with the very substance of the velvet mantles or rich
shawls in which so many of the fair processionists were enveloped. In
vain did well-gloved hands hold thousands of green parasols and
umbrellas over their heads as they walked four and five deep through
the leading thoroughfares yesterday. The bonnets with their 'green
and crape' were alone defensible, velvets and Paisleys, silks and
satins, met one common fate--thorough saturation. Yet all this and
more was borne without a murmur. These ladies, and there were many
hundreds of them, mingled with thousands in less rich attire, went
out to cooperate with their fathers, brothers, and sweethearts in
honouring three men who died upon the ignominious gallows, and they
never flinched before the torrents, or swerved for an instant from
the ranks. There must be some deep and powerful influence underlying
this movement that could induce thousands of matrons and girls of
from eighteen to two and-twenty, full of the blushing modesty that
distinguishes Irishwomen, to lay aside their retiring characteristics
and march to the sound of martial music through every thoroughfare in
the metropolis of this country decked in green and crape.

The Dublin correspondent of the _Tipperary Free Press_ referred to the
demonstration as follows:--

Arrived in Sackville-street we were obliged to leave our cab and